Chicha, the ancient drink of Peru
The chicha (in Quechua Aqha) is a fermented drink
native of South America, particularly widespread in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
There are several varieties by region but their preparation is mainly composed
of the "improves", ie malting or fermented corn. It is made from
pre-Inca times, it is a sacred drink used in ceremonial events and parties of
all Hispanic cultures of the Andean central zone. Acllas prepared her for the
Inca and ceremonies served to worship the Sun and the Moon and Mother Earth.
Chicha is a corn microbrew, because for their
preparation must be malted grain and then fermented, alcoholic strength of it
varies according to the region and "chichero", popular name of the
person who makes it.
Since ancient times, each region had its typical way
of preparing chicha, according to the ingredient used: carob in the north,
quinoa, cañigua, molle, corn, potato, oca in the mountains, and cassava in the
jungle. The chicha was used not only for its nutritional value but also for its
religious function.
It was the favorite drink of the Inca nobility, was
used in ceremonial rituals. During the Inti Raymi, the Inca offered with chicha
in honor of the sun. Unappetizing this drink is also left on the grave of a
deceased relative or offered as payment to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) and the
Apus (guardians hills ) to have a good harvest. Today the chicha is used in
religious rituals by some Andean communities that maintain ancestral customs.
Corn was considered a sacred plant, crops are celebrated and represented the
agricultural wealth of the Inca empire. It was perhaps more important than the
potato, which was cultivated in the family
According to history, the Inca Atahualpa in the first
encounter with the Spaniards, the square of Cajamarca, offered the Dominican
priest Valverde, kero (glass) containing gold chicha. The priest threw the kero
to the ground, thinking that Atahualpa wanted to poison him, when in fact that
act, was an Inca custom to start the conversation. ( 'Surely he threw the beer,
but the glass was saved !!)
After the independence of Peru in 1821, a song called
"Chicha", referring to the chicha, written by the authors of the
National Anthem, Jose de la Torre Ugarte and Jose Bernardo Alcedo, was very
popular because vindicated meals and national drinks.
Les Incas mummies des anciens exposées sont sur la principale pour une
place de Cuzco gorgée symbolique of chicha, une bière de maïs, tandis that
souverain him boit in honneur leur titre depuis une plate-forme rituelle. © Jon
Foster, Jeff Osborn, Amanda Hobbs, équipe du NGM National Geographic)
Chicha and Peruvian Gastronomy
The chicha is inseparable from the gastronomy, either
as ingredient or the perfect complement to the varied and delicious Peruvian
food. In Peruvian cuisine delicious chicha also used in the preparation of many
dishes such as lamb and dry marinade Arequipa, where it is used to marinate the
meat, giving it a tasty. In some places like in Catacaos in Piura, on sites
which sells chicha, he gets a white flag to indicate that they have the drink.
Here are some places where chicha has predominant
presence.
a) Tumbes
In Tumbes typical cuisine is made with fish and
seafood, among which fish ceviche, black shells, prawns, crabs and shrimp
cocktail, fried squid, seafood pionono. The chilcano, barrow, tasty rice shell,
rice with seafood, sanguito of black shells and majarisco.
Ceviche of black shell is one of the most exquisite
Peruvian cuisine entries. According to Peruvian tradition is one of the
aphrodisiacs dishes par excellence. It is prepared with black shells, lemon,
yellow peppers, hot chili peppers, hot peppers and onions. He served with
slices of sweet potato, corn kernels, mountain court, chifles. The chicha is
the perfect complement.
Rice with seafood is traditional dish of the northern
coast of Peru, near the ceviche and jelly is made with various types of seafood
such as octopus, shells, squid, prawns, mussels, clams, shrimp or conch.
b) Piura
In Piura all meals are accompanied with chicha (in
Catacaos and La Legua offer it in all its picanterías) or a cold lemonade. It
is painful to admit that despite its durability over time and its traditional
consumption, chicha is prepared in a few places. "Every day is chicha, but
is requested on Sundays and Mondays." For northerners, chicha is something
like breast milk.
c) Lambayeque
Lambayeque is the land of good food, good drink; your
kitchen dates back to ancient times. It is said that an attractive table on the
palate must have two kinds of dishes: appetizers (light snacks, heavily
seasoned and spicy) and knots (entrées or background) .Among the former are the
chinguirito, ceviche of fish, seafood, chirimpico, panquitas, sausages and
humitas, all accompanied by boiled yucca and mote. Among the latter we have
rice with duck chiclayana, dry of cabrito, the ferreñafana cause, fried (pork),
fish chilcano, the aguaditos, thickened, pepián turkey and tortilla line.
To drink chicha is traditionally served for
degustation "potos"), the pisco sour or llonque (spirits distilled
from sugar cane).
d) Trujillo
There is a tasty and varied number of dishes, in some
cases preparing ancient tradition based on fish, shellfish, seaweed, birds,
livestock, land products, etc. There are over a hundred typical dishes.
Trujillo must try chicha de Moche, Magdalena de Cao and other known places.
Ceviche, according to historical sources, originated
about 2,000 years ago in the ancient Moche culture, south of the city of
Trujillo. The dish is prepared with 5 main ingredients: fish filet cut in
chunks with lemon, onion, salt and pepper or aji limo Moche. The dish is added
a variety of ingredients to taste, one of the results of this combination is
mixed cebiche. Fish that can be used are very diverse and include species can
be fresh or sea water, accompanied with seafood, seaweed; and according to the
taste with sweet potato, corn, trifles, cassava, lettuce leaves, weed, roasted
corn (called cancha), etc. This dish has been declared Cultural Heritage of the
Nation by the Peruvian government.
The “cabrito”, characteristic of the north, is
prepared with goat meat marinated in chicha; I served with rice, beans and
cassava. Other dishes are Shambar Trujillo, hearty minestrone soup made with
smoked ham; Theologian soup, Frejoles to trujillana, Pepián turkeys, fish to
trujillana, Mollejitas sillao.
e) Cusco
Chicha is the favorite drink of men, Apus or gods.
Sometimes they add barley and quinoa getting a different and tasty on the
palate.
Chicherías and North picanterías: Cultural heritage of the nation
As you see white flag in northern Peru, and red bags
attached to a stick in the Cuzco streets, you know that you can find there
chicha. Rescued from oblivion and following the arequipeño precedent April
2014, picanterías and chicherías of Cusco, Piura and Lambayeque, and
picanterías of Tumbes and La Libertad, regain their social and emotional value
to be declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation by the Ministry Culture.
Sociologist Isabel Alvarez Novoa, "This is the
most important and significant as it has been in the country for the
preservation of historical memory and recognition of the kitchens and women in
their leadership role."
There is still something to be done. In La Libertad,
chicherías have disappeared, and there are few recognized picanterías. In
Lambayeque better the situation, picanterías help strengthen the identity and
pride of its people.
Mariano Valderrama, in his book "The Kingdom of
loche" that Boniface Carranza Quiroz entrenched tradition for over 70
years, with his homemade chicha and its famous duck rice casserole chicken, prepared
with animals raised at home and served for years between walls and roof thatch
ramada. Chichera is also strong tradition of Reque and Monsefú, where
"more than 60" chicherías in 2013, although they were always under
danger of disappearing.
References
Refrescante
tradición peruana: conozca la historia de la chicha de jora, DOMINGO 26 DE
DICIEMBRE DEL 2010 | 09:29
http://elcomercio.pe/gastronomia/peruana/refrescante-tradicion-peruana-conozca-historia-chicha-jora-noticia-689736
Por
César Sifuentes Chicha de jora
Experto
de Comida peruana
http://comidaperuana.about.com/od/piscoycocteles/r/La-Chicha-De-Jora.htm
Chica
de jora
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicha_de_jora
El néctar de los Incas: La chicha
de jora
https://piuraladulce.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/el-nectar-de-los-incas-la-chicha-de-jora/
Fouilles
dans les demeures des souverains incas, guerriers ambitieux
Publié
le 06 août 2013 / Mis à jour le 30 juillet 2013
http://www.nationalgeographic.fr/5124-fouilles-souverains-incas-guerriers-amerique-du-sud-archeologie/
Gastronomía
de Trujillo
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Trujillo_(Per%C3%BA)
Declaran
picanterías y chicherías como Patrimonio Cultural, MARTES 24 DE
NOVIEMBRE DEL 2015 | 04:01
http://elcomercio.pe/gastronomia/peruana/declaran-picanterias-y-chicherias-como-patrimonio-cultural-noticia-1858402
